5/30/2007 - Petition Drive's Blog Highlights

We would like to share with you some of the contributions we have received on our Petition Drive’s blog www.exchange4peace.org. We asked our visitors three questions:
1. What do you think needs to happen for the world to achieve peace?
2. If you traveled to another country or went on an exchange program, tell us where you went and how that experience changed your perspective on the world?
3. Do you agree with the statement “International youth exchanges promote peace.” Why?

These are some of the answers we have received:

May 01, 2007, Amr Ali from Egypt

1. Just every “human” need to think that we are all “humans” no better no worth we are all equal when that happen world shall have peace.
2. I’ve traveled to Charlotte, NC. and I really believe that every one have to travel to any part of the world to see how much we are “different” maybe in the languages maybe in the traditions but we are still have the exact same “human” soul.
3. Yes I agree with this statement because when you live outside your country away from your people, you figure out that your life that you used to live back home is not the whole world, the more you travel the more you gain life experience.

May 01, 2007, Els De Pauw from Belgium

1. In order for the world to achieve peace, everybody should live in a democracy. Everybody should have access to education, food, health care and shelter. The division of power should better divided in the world. Poeple everywhere should realise that their hated neighbour is very much like them, with the same problems and issues.
2. I went on YP 01-02 to Thailand. I can now call a totally alien nation in the world my ‘second home land’. I have friends in many different places in the world. I now realise how lucky I am to be born in Europe and in a situation that has given me a lot of opportunities to develop myself in whatever way i wished. I also learned that human nature is the same everywhere on the planet. Parents want their children to be happy. Youth wants to have fun. Everybody wants respect, love and friendship. I think everybody deserves just that. No more, no less.
3. Being a participant myself i can only agree. In Buddhism, buddha said “I can only show you the door, you have to walk trough it yourself”. You can read and learn about other cutures all u like, but nothing compares to actually living the life of a citizen of another country. Eating with them, sleeping with them, partying with them, laughing with them. After all that who would still want to fight them?

May 04, 2007, Nursen Dogan from Turkey

1. people must learn how to share,how to respect,how to listen and how to understand.I think the most important things are sharing and to respecting.It hurts when u realise while some of people live in inconceivable richness,others die because of hunger.Being an exchange student gives you enough time to think about sharing your luck. Because u realise all of the people are from same world and we are such a big family…I think people should be more engourged to become an exchange student
2. i`m in norway right now.I really learnt how to respect different things.How to accept differnt things,like religion,like cultural stuffs…without juding.
3. absolutely i do agree with the statement.We became more than a friend,we become a big family with our exchange friends and host friends.We learn our culters from the most trusted people i mean from each other.It was easier to accept differences. I ll not forget my exchange year and when i return to Turkey i ll tell my amazing year to everyone,to my friends and to my relatives and to my next generation.I ll tell them no matter how different we are,all the people must live for one thing….`WORLD PEACE`

May 07, 2007, Ben P. from Germany

1. “Once there will come a day when there is war – and nobody is going.” People will not fight against their friends, so make them know each other. There will always be a minority of leaders pursuing their own ideas of power and megalomania, and it’s the peoples’ task to bring them down – by peaceful protest (Berlin, 1989)
2. In 2005 / 2006, I spent my year on exchange in Hungary, Eastern Europe. Although I first thought Hungary was a poor country, it now appears rich to me, rich of tradition, rich of history, rich of culture. I met people from all, all over the world and immediately became friends with them. Now I’m volunteering in AFS Germany, and there’s one thing I’ve finally not just quoted, but understood: The fact that everyone is different makes all people equal.
3. I totally agree with the statement. Intercultural exchanges create intermediaries between different cultures, and so not just the exchange students theirselves but also their environment earn the benefits of a unique experience.

May 08, 2007, Yelena Ramli from Malaysia

1. Mutual understanding should exist among people, not that this is unfeasible, it will just takes time. People need to stand up and not be afraid to speak up for what they think is right and give peace a try, never a chance for even a war, regardless who or what they are. Education, too, plays a very vital role as a constant reminder in alerting us what is happening worldwide and also the importance of peace, per se.
2. I was in Spain for an Intensive programme in winter 2005/06. The experience I had was beyond words and I embrace them well. The way I look at the world before and after the exchange blatantly change for the better. The world will be such a beautiful place if all of us share and understand various cultures, language, ethnicity and backgrounds. Take your time to listen and understanding different people. It’s a life experience, no second thoughts.
3. I’m for it. It’s because the youth plays a significant role in the society. They are THE future and voices of people. Let’s promote peace! :D

May 09, 2007, Patrick from United States

1. Strength and Understanding. You must understand our beliefs (ie presence of a god, importance of family) and desires (ie to make life worthwhile, to be happy) are actually quite similar but the surface differences, race, religion constantly and stupidly overshadow them. You need strength to carry out acts of kindness and peace. This is by far the hardest to do for any one person let alone 6.5 billion people.
2. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in a rural village in Guatemala. I learned what it means to be human. No matter where we are we want the same things. We also have to be realistic about what we expect of the world. We can’t expect to just hold hands and be happy. You want peace you need smart people with smart ideas, lots of luck (no genocides, civil wars, corrupt leaders), and about one hundred years of effective development.
3. No, international youth exchanges promote understanding. And position young people for international careers.

May 11, 2007, Charlie from Malaysia

1. Definitely lots of understanding, lots of love, a lot more respect and the vision for the future generation to live without fear and feel threatened. In my view, respect is not just something that is innate; respect is only given those who earned it, not by infliction fear or coming out victorious but by eating the humble pie. I think if everyone takes a step back and look at the bigger picture, we realize that we are not only citizens of nations, but also citizens of the WORLD. If we can put differences aside, the whole world can come to point where all of us can say “we are not so different AFTER ALL!”
2. I was on the YES programme in 2005 and was hosted in Indiana. What I took with me was the realizations that while the world is so big, all of us are actually more similar than we thought we were.
3. Totally agree AND I also believe in youth empowerment. WE, the youths are the future of the world. If we can bridge gaps by understanding others in our youth, we definitely can bring peace for the future.